I’m featured on this new series: FOR THE LOVE OF DANCE with SARITA LOU! It is the year 2015 and as I take it all in I realize what an impactful year 2014 has been! Personally and professionally so many events have happened, I can’t count them all and had not previously posted much of it on SayconTalks blog. One thing that came into my life during my time at Holler If Ya Hear Me, were old friends and people coming back I did a new show reading with Sarita Lou years ago. Ms. Sarita Lou is a class act, she’s a lovely performer, and producer, and interviewer who is fulfilling a dream as she produces a web series called, ” For the Love of Dance with Sarita Lou” As we move into this year there will be some reviews of 2014 events that really should be explored here, including my time singing backgrounds with Ms. Lauryn Hill, causes and events in support of Ebola Crisis reform, and an exciting premiere of a new musical Stagger Lee, but absolutely right now I’m so thrilled to share my episode of the new series: For the Love of Dance with Sarita Lou. This series focuses on dancers and dance and movement and entertainment. Many people don’t know about the separation that occurs in the Musical Theatre world, people who sing and act with movement and choreography as an additional focus are often called “singers who move well.”

Saycon talks on self care for longevity on Broadway

Being featured here is particularly meaningful to me as quote, ” singer who moves well” as I’m sure. Sarita’s show will feature prolific dancers along with the quirkiest movers, the physical body is very important part of my life as a performer and singer on Broadway, preventing injuries and performing well. During my 10 years participating in Broadway shows my body has been important to me as well, not only my throat and voice, not just for osing weight but for strength. I admire and respect the constant training that takes place to be full fledged dancer, and because of that for many years I would never sign up for company allotted physical therapy (aka PT) as if I had no right to it as an actor or singer! My how things have changed! Your body will quickly remind you that you that it is certainly dancing 8 times a week whether you want to call it that or not! I remember my good friend Christine Horn talking about the back strength she had to get as she performed the role of Nala in the Lion King, a role that is typically not considered a “dance” track, yet required a type of agility and physical therapy to maintain. I experienced performing as a “singer who moves well” on “raked’ stages ( slanted to optimize the audiences view) climbing ladders and thrashing my head about in ” Hair” . And through therapy learned the importance of strengthening my quadriceps muscles to aid in knee support in wearing high heels. As a child I always danced but as roles for acting and singing took precedence I stopped taking ballet classes. Years later I have found how much joy and strength I gain from studying dance. One of my favorite things is to study with my many Broadway friends who are also dance teachers ( shout out to Iris Wilson and Rickey Tripp). Many singers and actors take their physical health for granted and experience pitfalls because of that, but I’m here to say WE ARE DANCERS TOO!
CLICK TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW BELOW: FOR THE LOVE OF DANCE

Hopefully my being on this forum will lead to great respect for all performers out there! Learn all about it on my episode of “For the Love of Dance with Sarita Lou.” Many thanks Sarita for your interest in my career and lifestyle!

Tony Award nominee Kenny Leon, Saul Williams, producer Jessica Green, and Marcyliena Morgan, executive director of Harvard’s HipHop Archive, for an in-depth discussion about this groundbreaking production Holler If Ya Hear Me. Dr. James Peterson, director of Africana Studies and Associate Professor at Lehigh University, will moderate. The music of Tupac Shakur blazes to life on Broadway in the new musical Holler If Ya Hear Me . It is at once a love story and an un-retouched picture of life in the streets. The cast of 22 includes Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson, Saycon Sengbloh, Ben Thompson, John Earl Jelks, Joshua Boone, Dyllon Burnside and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins.If you didn’t get to see this discussion on the play Holler If Ya Hear Me check it out below .

Man oh man life brings you surprises… You never know what God has in store. Here it is 2014, I haven’t blogged in a while, I’ve been busy ya’ll: On the literary tip I’m reading TD Jakes, “Instinct” highly recommended by my girl, Joaquina and rehearsing and learning so much about myself and life. Just celebrated another Mother’s Day away from my beautiful Mom who lives in Atlanta, but she’s good and I am certainly thankful for life and breath. 2014 has brought exciting moments in my career that have in some ways renewed my self perception, my level of belief and ambition. I was able to record some music and release a single and music video for my song Be Here. I shot a television pilot in February, 3 weeks ago I left the show, Motown the Musical, and now here I am taking part in the new hip-hop infused show, “Holler If Ya Hear Me” written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon. The process is exciting and intense, and we are performing the beautiful & very real lyrics of Tupac Shakur. Everyone asks if the show is about Tupac, well the answer is no, its not an autobiographical show, BUT by using his songs and poetry, Todd Kreidler has put together a story that absolutely draws from the ideals and subject matter expressed in his music. Holler If Ya Hear Me stars Saul Williams and is about a young man and artist dealing with change, changes in his relationships, his community and life as he knew it to be, life can be cruel, deep, & exciting . First & foremost Tupac was a story teller and he created great imagery with his lyrics and we are bringing those lyrics to life with songs like “Dear Momma”, “Changes”, and “My Block”. Not to mention his poetry is getting the royal treatment, (as it should) introducing a new audience to Tupac’s representative tongue presenting the plight of the disenfranchised youth simultaneously promoting his wisdom and wild ways. Don’t want to give it away, you must come in person to see the story and see how this city block is brought to life on the Broadway stage! Check out the clips of us in rehearsal below:

Hey ya’ll stay tuned to see my new music video for the song, Be Here. You may recall Be Here was released this winter and with the recent winter being so very long in new York, its not too late to let this song warm up your heart. Stay tuned to see the new music video and enjoy specially directed by the one and only Hannelore Williams and with a surprise guest appearance as well. . . stay tuned.

I got new headhshots and I’m on my way! What do ya think? I haven’t had new headshots in some time. My friend Christine gets new ones done pretty often, I’m finally getting my act together. I’ve got lots of photos to share with you guys this year as I promote new music and other projects. Managing it all has been a task but I press forward!

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, a new musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, written by Todd Kreidler, directed by Kenny Leon, will begin performances on June 2, 2014 and open June 19, 2014 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).

Casting and ticketing information will be announced soon.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the world inside Tupac Shakur’s music and lyrics, blazes to life in a non-biographical story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope. Inner city lives struggle for peace against the daily challenges they face in this entertaining original musical. Through the poetry of one of the 20th century’s most influential and culturally prominent voices, we are given a window into realities of the streets still relevant today..

I grew up in Atlanta where director, Kenny Leon, was a leader in theater, over the years I’ve watched him stake a claim in both theater and television. So its exciting to see these words brought to life with Leon’s critical eye, his respect for Tupac’s legacy and his personal experiences as an African- American man to inspire this story and direction.

Joining director Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun [2004 and 2014], Fences [2010], The Mountaintop) and author Todd Kreidler (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and direction of How I Learned What I Learned), on the creative team are Tony Award® winner Wayne Cilento (Wicked, The Who’s Tommy, How to Succeed…[1995], AIDA, Sweet Charity [2004]), and musical supervisor Daryl Waters (Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, The Color Purple, Memphis).

The design team includes sets and video by Tony Award® winner David Gallo (The Mountaintop, The Drowsy Chaperone, Memphis), costumes by Reggie Ray (Stick Fly), lighting by Mike Baldassari (Beauty and the Beast, Cabaret [1998], Nine [movie]) and sound by John Shivers and David Patridge.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is produced on Broadway by Afeni Shakur, Eric L. Gold, Chunsoo Shin and Jessica Green. General Manager is Richard Martini for KL Management.

I’m way too excited about the new Lifetime movie “Betty & Coretta”… I only heard about it today. On a break from Motown rehearsal I went up the block to run errands was struck by the haunting photo of Miss. Basset and Miss. Blige staring into the ethers like beautiful black eagles. I was like dayum Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige in a movie, together! Now, I pride myself on being in the know with these sorts of things but this one completely slipped my radar.

I mean even the other night I was at Morgan James show chatting my mouth away with the Angela Bassett, talkin’ bout Motown this and Motown that, and this fabulous diva has a new movie coming out?! We know we blactresses and blactors cannot get enough of her ever since she turned it out in her Oscar nominated role as Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” And there I am in her face, not knowing this film was underway and soon to be aired on television! I can’t be slippin’ yall! I certainly could have gotten some info about that film that night. Anyway check out this trailer for the new movie. I’m really excited to see friend, Malik Yoba in the movie as Rev. Martin Luther King. (Shout out to cousin Qua ;)Folks are doing big things! 2013 ya’ll LET’S GET IT!